Life

Christine Conti: Persistence and Positivity Win the Race

How one athlete's Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis propelled her to change her life and take on an IRONMAN.

by Courtney Johnson

Ten years ago, if you told Christine Conti that she'd now be in the final lead-up to her first IRONMAN race, she wouldn't have believed you. Diagnosed in 2012 with the aggressive autoimmune disease known as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Conti was, at one point, unable to use her fingers, hands, and wrists due to constant swelling and excruciating pain.

"I could barely sleep due to pains in my hips and back, and getting dressed, holding a toothbrush or pen, using a key, picking up my son… were all unbearable. (Meanwhile), RA was also attacking my internal organs causing intestinal distress and breathing issues," says the now 38-year-old Brick, New Jersey resident.

From diagnosis to bucket list

Her diagnosis caused Conti to step back and prioritize her life, her need to spend more time with her children, and to create a "bucket list." After her father—one of her main role models—passed away, she decided to leave her teaching career and follow her heart.

On that bucket list was running a marathon, supported by a solid athletic pedigree (Conti grew up playing volleyball and later in life became a Chief Master Trainer for PLYOGA Fitness, with whom she leads workshops and certifications for fitness professionals, coaches, and PE teachers.) Just a few years after her diagnosis, she began running.

Almost 30 marathons later, including five Boston Marathons, Conti will be racing IRONMAN Lake Placid for the IRONMAN Foundation on July 22nd. "I threw my name into the Jersey Girl Tri last summer without ever having completed an ocean swim or peddled a road bike," Conti recalls. "Needless to say, I was pumped when I broke the tape!" She adds that she's become thankful for her disease as it has allowed her to live a more full life. "During this last year I have never been more scared, excited, or happy in my entire life—I see my kids more, I surround myself with motivated, healthy, and like-minded people, and I feel completely alive," she says.

Conti with PLYOGA Fitness creator, Stephanie Lauren

Transitioning to triathlon

While putting time on the bike wasn’t hard for Conti, the swim has been the toughest discipline to grasp. "Even though I grew up on the south shore of Long Island and toted along with my parents over to Fire Island, I never swam in the Great South Bay or the Atlantic Ocean unless I had to," she says.

Over the past year, Conti's 9-year-old son, Alex, who happens to be a competitive swimmer, has been giving her lessons at the local pool. She says it has been a steep learning curve: "It was very humbling to be such a strong runner/athlete and then feel that raw fear when you had to put your face in the water. I'm still working through my fear of open-water swimming and I use the mantra, "I love the water and this will be great" before each swim."

As for why she took up triathlon, Conti says "anything I think I can't do, I want to do! I want to do everything I can possibly do that will challenge me both physically and mentally while my body is still working."

Are you looking to live your best life or kick start a change? Let some of Conti’s words motivate you.

Pick your own therapy

"Training is my time for reflection, my time to be grateful, and my time to be Christine," Conti says. "This is when I clear my head and be thankful for yet another day that my legs are able to carry me, my arms and fingers function, and my lungs allow me the oxygen I need to support my muscles. There's no one way that works for everyone when it comes to well-being."

Pick an M.O.

"I refuse to miss training sessions because I feel sick, and I have been documenting my journey for the past six months on social media to show others that they can do anything they put their mind to. I embrace the YES YOU CAN attitude and feel it is my mission in life to show others that they are much stronger than they think."

Pick a mantra

"I wake up each day and I am truly grateful that my legs are still healthy enough to carry me and I can be there for my husband and two children. Not knowing when my disease may leave me unable to walk or use various parts of my body inspires me to keep going and show others that "Yes They Can!"

-"Do, or do not! There is no try!" – Yoda

-"There are two choices in life. Do something. Or do nothing. Always choose SOMETHING!" – Wonder Woman

-"YES YOU CAN" – Team Hoyt

-"Show me what you can do. Don’t tell me what you can’t!" – Me

Pick possibility

"Completing an IRONMAN was always something I believed I could never complete," Conti says. "After I got sick and lost my dad to cancer, I finally had that 'aha' moment. I stumbled across an IRONMAN Foundation advertisement on social media and I knew it was my time. I fully embrace the message of the IMF and I know that by racing to help their cause, I can help bring about change in the world."